Applicator



Aug. 29, 1933. v A E BRAKE APPLICATOR Filed March 17, 1931 frag',

z Ven fof AQ F/efo DEA KE 3%,WMM

o Ll J PatentedY Aug. 29, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENr 1,924,916 APPLICATORl Alfred Earl Drake, Los Angeles, Calif.; assigner of one-half toRichard Marion Destel, Los

Y Angeles, Calif.

Application March i7,

14 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful iinu provenients in applicatorsor instruments of the general character adapted for .use in thetreatment oi diseases and lother ailments ci various organs of the humanbody.

An object oi the invention is to `provide an applicator comprising ahollow body portion adapted to receive a cartridge iilledA with asuitable medicament, preferably of a gelatinous nature, said cartridgebeing provided with means for expelling the medicament therefrom andprojects it through plurality of perforations prorided at one end ofsaid body portion whereby when t latter has been inserted into anopening or a canal of the human body, and said expelling means isactuated, the medicament will be discharged from the cartridge into saidopening or canal.

A further object is to provide an instrument of the class described',comprising a sealed cartridge adapted to contain a suitable gerniicidal,jellylike medicament, and having embodied inthe construction thereof, adevice whereby the medicament may be expelled from the cartridge.

A f 'her object is to provide an applicator compr ig a cartridge havinga piston mounted therein and normally loosely connected with an actuatactuating rod having one end protruding from the cartridge whereby itmay be operated, and the cartridge being lled with a suitable medicamentand having its discharge end normally closed and sealed to theatmosphere, and said actuating rod and piston being provided withlcooperating rnea-ns for automatically permanently securing the piston tothe rod, when the rod is axially nioved in one direction, and, wherebywhen the rod is nioved in the opposite direction, medicament in thecartridge will be expelled therefrom.

A further object is to provide an applicator compri g a hollow bodyprovided at one end with a perforated closure or head, and adapted toreceive a' non-refillable, sealed cartridge containing a suitablemedicament, said cartridge having means thereinV for expelling themedica-y ment therefrom and forcing it through thegpassay s in saidperforated closure and into an open- Other objects of the Vinvention,reside inthesimple and' inexpensive construction oi the instrumentwhereby it may be manufactured at rod disposed within the cartridge,said`V human body into which the instrument v,ve been inserted, andtheconstruction of' i931. serial No. 523,218

small cost, and whereby it may be readily and easily cleaned after use;in the construction of the sealed cartridge which positively preventsleakage ci the contents therefrom when handling; in the arrangement ofthe piston and operating rod within the cartridge, whereby the lattermay be loaded and sealed with the operating rod positioned in the.position assumed when it has been actuated to expel the medicament fromthe cartridge; in the means provided for sealing the discharge end ofthe cartridge; in the unitary structure of the cartridge and itsunloading mechanism; in the means provided at the endof the operatingrod for retaining it in normalinoperative position; and in theconstruction of the tubular body whereby a loaded cartridge may becarried therein, when the instrument is not in use, and said" body beingkprovided with suitable end caps adapted to completely conceal thecartridge supportedtherein, and whereby the instrument may beconveniently carried about inl a pocket or a small case. Y Other objectsof the invention will appear from the following description and,accompanying drawing and will be pointed out in the annexed claims. Inthe accompanying drawing, there has been disclosedfeJ structure designedto "carry out the various 'objects of the invention, but it is to be l,

understood` that Ythe invention is notV connedto the exact featuresshownas various changes may be made within the :scope of the claims whichfollow. f Y Y In the'drawing: f Y Y Figure lshows the improvedinstrument with a loaded cartridge positioned therein, and the enfclosing caps secured `to each end of Athe cylindrical body; ,i Y

Figure 2 shows the instrument with thel caps removed and-'the operatingrod retracted to cause the piston to automatically' become connectedtherewith;v l

Figure Sshows the operating rod pushed forwardly and the medicamentexpelled from the cartridge and projected from the multiple oriiicesprovided at one endy oi the instrument;

Figure 4 shows a' loaded cartridge before being inserted into the casingor vtubular body, and the condition in which the cartridges areAsupplied to the patient V,or-user;

Figure-5 is a View showing the casing only, one cap and thev cartridgehaving been removed. therefrom; Y'

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view on the line 6 6 of Figure 2, showingthe means for conT necting the piston with the operating rod; and

Figure '7 is an end view of Figure 2.

The novel applicator or instrumentV featured in this invention comprisesan outer cylindrical casing'or body portion -2, provided witlrsutablelOO internal threads 3 and 4 at its ends, as shown. A suitable head 5has a. cylindrical portion 6 inserted into the front end of the casing2, and the head is secured thereto by means of the threads 3, the headbeing provided` with corresponding threads adapted to engage the threads3 in the casing.

The tip or forward face 7 of the head 5 is preferably semi-spherical inconformation, as shown, and a plurality of radially disposed ducts-8 areprovided in said tip which communicate with a central passage 9connecting said ducts with a frustum-shaped counterbore 10, provided atthe inner end of the hea-d 5. The diameter of the tip of the sphericalhead 5 is substantially equal to the outside diameter cf thecasing 2 soas to provide on the head. 5, an annular shoulder 11 adapted to engagethe end of the casing 2, as shown at 12. It will thus be seen thatthejoint 12 between the shoulder 11 of the head and the end of thecasing 2, will be substantially iiush and smooth, as clearly shown inFigures 2 `and 3.

An important feature of this invention resides in the construction ofthe cartridge in which the medicament 13 is contained, as shown inFigures 1, 2, and 4. This medicament is preferably of a jellylike,gelatinous nature] The cartridge comprises a shell 14, cylindrical incross section and of a diameter adapted to be slidably received withinthe casing 2, as shown in Figures l, 2, and 3, and a breech portion 20.Suitable external threads 15 are provided in the breech 2O of thecartridge adapted to engage the threads 4 at the rear end of the casing2, whereby the cartridge may be secured in position within the casing.The rear portion of the breech 20 may be provided with a plurality offlat faces 40 to facilitate screwing it into and out of the casing 2.The overall length of the cartridge is such that when the forward endthereof engages the inner face of the head 5, the breech will protrudefrom the rear end of the casing 2, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The forward end of the cartridge shell 14 is provided with a counterbore 16, the diameter of which is relatively larger than the insidediameter of the shell 14, whereby an annular shoulderl is providedagainst which an annular Washer or ring member 18 is adapted to beseated. VA suitable iiexible packing 19, preferably of rubber, and inthe shape of a relatively thick washer, is inserted into the counterbore16 o the shell 14 and seats against the ring 18, Vas shown.

An operating rod` 21 is mounted for reciprocal movement within thecartridge 14y and has at its forward end,.an enlarged tip 22 whichpreferably is shaped as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, or as twoopposed frustums. The terminal portion 23 of the tip 22 is adapted totraverse an aperture 24 provided in the packing washer 19. The tip-22,however, passes through and projects beyond the washer 19 so as to bereceived in the rustumshaped counterbore 1G of the head 5, as shown inFigures 1 and 3. Thediameter of the tip 22 at its greatest dimension isslightly morev than the diameter of the aperture 2'4 in the packing 19,so that when the tip 22 is forced through the packing, the' aperture 24must slightly expand, whereby the joint between the tip 22, and thewalls of the aperture 24 of the packing 19 is sealedagainst leakage,whenvthe operating rod 21 is in the position shown in Figures 1,V 3, and4. The operating rod is provided at its opposite end with a finger grip25, here shown having a hub 26, the inner face of which is adapted toseat4 against the'breech of the cartridge, when the operating rod is inthe position shown in Figures 3 and 4. When thus positioned, the reartapered portion 30 of the tip 2l will, because of its engagement withthe walls of the bore 24, cause a slight axial pull to be exerted uponthe rod 21 in a direction towards the head 5 of the casing 2, which willthereby cause the rod to be rmly held in the position shown in Figure 4.The above described action also operates to retain the packing washer 19in the position shown in Figures 1 and 4.

The means for expelling the medicament from the cartridge consists of apiston 27, of a suitable material, having a snug sliding iit within thebore of the cartridge shell 14. The piston 27 has secured thereto, apair of rearwardly extending flexible arms 28, preferably of springmetal, having their terminals 29 bent inwardly and curved tosubstantially fit the periphery of the rod 21, as shown in Figure 6. Anannular groove 31 is provided in the operating rod 21 towards theforward endthereoi adapted to receive the terminals 29 of the arms 28,when the operating rod 21 is retracted or drawn rearwardly to theposition shown in Figure 2. The rear ends of the arms 28 are normallyseated against the breech or bottom of the bore of the cartridge 14, sothat when the operating rod 21 is pulled backwardly, it will slidethrough the piston and between the terminals 29 of the arms 28, untilthe inner end of the tip 22 of the rod engages -the front face of thepiston 2T, at which time the annular groove 3l will also register withthe terminals 29 of the arms 28 so that they will snap into position insaid groove as shown in Figures 2 and 3. When the arms 28 o the pistonthus become engaged with the operating rod 21, the piston 27 will besecured thereto and cannot again be disconnected therefrom withoutdestroying or ruining the cartridge. It will thus be seen that each timethe instrument has been used to expel the contents from a cartridge, anew cartridge must be used before the instrument can again be used. Thecartridge cannot be refilled and must be discarded after use.

Suitable enclosing caps 32 and 33 are provided at the front and rearends of the instrument, respectively, as shown in Figure 1, the frontcap 32 preferably being secured to the casing 2 by friction, and therear cap 33 being secured in position by reason of its threadedengagement with the protruding rear end portion or breech 2i) of thecartridge, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. When the caps 32 and 33 aresecured to the ends of the cylindrical casing 2, the instrument, as awhole, including a loaded cartridge, provides a very neat and compactinstrument which may be conveniently carried about in a pocket or handbag.

When the instrument is assembled as shown in Figure 1, the forwardportion 23 of the tip 22 of the operating rod 21, will be seated in thecorrespondingly shaped counterbore 10 provided at the inner end of thehead 5, thereby closing the central passage 9 in the head 5. When thuspositioned, the tip 22 of the rod will also cooperate with the packingwasher 19 to positively prevent leakage of the medicament from theinterior oi the cartridge. It will thus be seen that a double seal isprovided for preventing leakage of the medicament from the instrumentwhen the latter is not in use. The engagement of the rear FIheinstrument as sold, will consist of the outer cylindrical casing 2,including the head 5 and enclosing caps 32 and 33, and perhaps severalcartridges, it being understood that each cartridge is used but once,and is thereafter discarded. The outer casing 2 and caps 32 and 33 areconstructed from a suitable material such, for example, as bakelite orhard rubber, which is light in weight and provides a very neatappearance.

When the instrument is to be used, the caps 32 and 33 are removed fromthe cylindrical casing or body 2, and the forward end thereof insertedinto the opening of the human body, requiring treatment. The operatingrod 2l is then withdrawn or pulled backwardly from the position shown inFigure l to that shown in Figure 2, whereupon the arms 28 of the pistonwill, because of the resilient nature of the material from which theyare made, snap into engagement with the annular groove 3l of the rod,and thus automatically operatively secure the piston to the rod, so thatthe rod cannot be longitudinally translated without imparting a similarmovement to the piston. The rod 2l is then pushed gently forwardly in adirection towards the head 5 of the casing 2, whereby the medicament isexpelled from the cartridge and is forced through the multiple passages8 of the head 5, and into the opening or canal of the human body, inwhich the instrument may be inserted. When the piston reaches theposition shown in Figure 3, the cartridge will havebeen emptied of itscontents, and may then be removed from the casing 2, and thrown away ordiscarded, as it cannot be reiilled by the user for further use.

It will readily be seen from the construction of the cartridge, thatonce it has been emptiedV of its contents by use, it cannot again berelled by the user and carried in a closed or sealed position, becauseof the fact that the resilient arms of the piston permanently secure thepiston to the operating rod 2l in such a manner that it cannot bedetached from the rodl without destroying either the cartridge shell orthe operating rod. This provides a very desirable construction in that aphysician will be in a position to advise the use of any one of severalset formulas, which willbe compiled for the treatment of specic diseasesand other ailments, with the knowledge that the prescribed dosage willbe absolutely uniform and standard. It also makes it prac'- ticailyimpossible for a patient to experiment with the vuse of othermedicaments in this device. The instrument is neat, compact, small insize, and is leak-proof, and may therefore be conveniently carried aboutby the user or patient, in a pocket or small hand bag, as will bereadilyrunderstood by reference to Figure 1.

I claim as my invention:

1. An instrument of the 'class described, comprising a casing providedat one end with a suitable discharge passage, a cartridge adapted to beiifted into said casing and having a discharge opening adapted toregister with the dischargev passage of the casing, a member fornormally sealing the discharge opening oi said cartridge wherebythe-latter may contain a suitable gelatinous medicament,l a pistonnormally positioned within one end of the cartridge, and means forautomatically and inseparably connecting said piston to said member,when the latter is moved in one direction, whereby the medicament in thecartridge may be expelled therefrom through the passage provided at theend of said casing.

2. Aninstrument ofthe class described comprising a casing havingY a headat one end thereof provided with a plurality of discharge passages, acartridge adapted to contain a suitable medicamentindependently of saidcasing, means forsecuring the cartridge within said casing, a pistonwithin said cartridge fork expelling the medicamenttherefrom, amember-also mounted in said cartridge for actuating said piston to causeit to expel the medicament from the cartridge, and resilient means foroperatively connecting the member to the piston.

3. An instrument of the class described comprising a casing'l having ahead at one end thereof providedwith a dischargepassage, a cartridgeadaptedY tov contain a suitable medicament independently of said casing,means for securing the cartridge` within said casing, a piston withinsaid cartridge for expelling the medicament therefrom, a member alsomounted in said cartridge for operating said piston to cause it to expelthe medicament from the cartridge, resilient means for operativelyconnecting the member to the piston, when the member is moved in onedirection, and means at one end of said member adapted to form a closurefor the' discharge end of the cartridge before use. i

4. An instrument of the class described, comprising a casing adapted toreceive a cartridge,

said cartridge includinga shell adapted to contain a suitablemedicament/said shell having-a discharge opening at the endthereof, apiston mounted in the cartridge at the opposite end thereof, anoperating'rod for the piston having a portion received in said dischargeopening to provide a closure therefor, Vand means for inico los

separably securing said piston to said rod, when Y the latteris moved ina direction to open the discharge opening 4ofthe cartridgeand whereby,when the rod is moved in the opposite direction, the piston will beoperated to expel theY medicament fr'omthe cartridge and said casing.

5. An instrument of the class described, coinprising a casing adapted toreceive a cartridge, said cartridge'including a shell adapted ltocontain a suitable medicament, a packing at one end of the shellprovided with a discharge opening,

Y a piston mounted'in the cartridge, an operating rod for the pistonhaving an enlarged tip adapt-ed to be received in the aperture in saidpacking to provide a closure therefor, and means for automaticailyinseparably securing said piston to saidrod, when thelatter is moved ina `direction to open the discharge opening ofthe cartridge Iand whereby,when the rod is moved in the opposite direction, the piston will beoperated to expel the medicament from the cartridge and said casing.

"6. An instrument of the class described comprising a hollowtubularbodyprovided at one f end with a head having a discharge passagetherein and provided with a irustum--shaped socket communicating withsaid passage, a cartridge adapted to beinserted in said hollow body andhaving a chamber therein adapted to contain a suitable medicament, aiiexible element at one end of the cartridge having a discharge openingtherein registering with the socket in said head, a piston mounted inthe chamber of the cartridge at the opposite end thereof, van operatingrod for the piston traversingthe breechof the cartridge and said pistonand extending lengthwise through said chamber, an enlarged tip on saidoperating rod having oppositely disposed inclined faces, one of .whichis adapted to be positioned in the discharge opening in said flexibleelement to seal the chamber in said cartridge, and the other of saidinclined faces projecting beyond said element and adapted to be receivedin said tapered socket to seal the passage through the head.

'7. An instrument of the class described com prising ahollcw' tubularbody provided at one end with a head having a discharge passage thereinprovided with a frustum-shaped socket communicating with saidl passage,a cartridge adapted to be inserted in said hollow body and having achamber therein adapted to contain a suitable medicament, a flexibleelement at the discharge end of the cartridge having a discharge openingtherein registering with the socket in said head, a piston mounted inthe chamberof the cartridge at the opposite end thereof, an operatingrod for the piston traversing the breech of the -cartridge and saidpiston and extending lengthwise through said chamber, an enlarged tip onsaid operating rod having oppositely disposed inclined faces, one ofwhich is adapted to be positioned in the discharge opening in saidiiexible element to seal the chamber in said cartridge, and the other ofsaid inclined faces normally projecting beyond said element and adaptedto be fitted into said tapered socket to seal the passage through thehead, and means for automatically permanently securing the piston to therod, when the latter is moved in one direction,y such movement of therod also opening the discharge of the chamber to the atmosphere whereby,when the operating rod is moved in the opposite direction, the pistonwill be actuated to expel the medicament from the chamber and project itfrom the passage in said head.

8. A cartridge having a chamber therein, provided at one end with adischarge opening and adapted to contain a suitable medicament, a membermounted in said chamber and normally positioned adjacent to the oppositeend thereof, a stem traversing said member and chamber and having aportion adapted to be positioned in said discharge opening to seal thechamber, and resilient means for automatically securing said member tothe stem when the latter is moved in one direction.

9. A cartridge having a chamber therein, provided at one end with adischarge opening and `adapted to contain a suitable medicament, a

member mounted in said chamber and normally positioned adjacent to oneend thereof, a stem traversing one end of the cartridge and said memberand extending lengthwise through said chamber, an enlarged tip on thestem adapted to be received in said discharge opening to seal thechamber, and cooperating spring elements on said member engageable witha shoulder on said stem for securing the member to the stem, when thelatter is moved in onedirection, and whereby the member may be actuatedto expel the medicament from said chamber.

l0. A non-rellable cartridge having a chamterminal of said rod beingadapted to be received in said discharge opening to seal the chamber,

an annular groove in the rod, and resilient means on said piston adaptedto engage said groove and permanently secure the piston to the rod, whenthe latter is moved in one direction, and whereby the piston may beactuated to expel the medicament from the chamber.

11. A non-rellable cartridge having a chamber therein adapted to containa suitable medicament, a flexible packing yprovided at one end of thechamber and having a discharge opening therein, a member mounted in saidchamber and normally positioned adjacent to the opposite end thereof, astem traversing said member and chamber and having an enlarged tipadapted to be engaged with the walls of said discharge opening to sealthe chamber, and means for automatically permanently securing saidmember to the stem when the latter is moved in one direction.

12. A non-reiillable cartridge having a charnber therein provided at oneend with a discharge opening and adapted to contain a suitablemedicament, a member mounted in said chamber and normally positionedadjacent to one end thereof, a stem traversing one end of the cartridgeand said member and extending lengthwise through said chamber, anenlarged tip on the stem adapted to be received in said ,dischargeopening to seal the chamber, said tip extending'beyond the end of saidcartridge, and cooperating means on said member and said stem forsecuring the member i to the stem when the latter is moved in onedirection, whereby the member may be actuated to expel the medicamentfrom said chamber, said means including a pair of oppositely disposedresilient arms having portions adapted to' grip said stem.

13. A cartridge comprising a cylindrical hollow body open at one end, aflexible packing inserted in the open end of said hollow body and havinga discharge opening therein through which a l charge opening in saidpacking whereby, when 1 the tip is inserted in said discharge opening toseal the chamber, the walls of said opening will yield.

14. A cartridge comprising a cylindrical hollow body open at one end, aflexible packing inserted in the open end of said hollow body and havinga discharge opening therein through which a material contained in saidhollow body may be discharged, a piston mounted in said hollow bodyadjacent to the opposite end thereof, an operating rod Vtraversing thebreech of the Vcartridge and said piston and having an enlarged terminaltip adapted to be received in the discharge opening in said packing,said tip being provided with oppositely disposed inclined faces, one ofwhich is normally positioned in said discharge opening to seal thechamber, the engagement of said inclined face with the walls of saiddischarge opening tending to secure the rod inits .normal position.

. ALFRED EARL DRAKE.

lil)

